Support Your Library

Marianne Silver's blog

The New York Library Association sponsors an annual Library Advocacy Day in Albany. Library representatives from around the state convene to rally their legislators and senators to support higher funding levels for libraries.

Governor Cuomo's Executive Budget proposed flat library funding at $86.6 million while proposing a 4%+ increase for education. This falls quite short of the $102.6 million required by NYS Education Law based on census data. As public libraries chartered by the NYS Department of Education, we say LIBRARIES ARE EDUCATION - we provide technology, materials and programming that support our local students and allow other individuals to continue independent learning and self-enrichment.

The combined New City/West Nyack library budget of $6,211,062 was passed with a vote of 285 in favor and 97 against. Three trustees were elected: Anthony Feliciano with 117 votes, Phyllis Morena with 135, and Joseph Reiter with 113. Thank you to everyone who came out to vote!

Search results in the Enterprise library catalog now include digital content that can be accessed directly from the Overdrive website with one click. Ebooks, digital audiobooks, and streaming movies can be checked out (or placed on hold) without having to make a separate visit to the Digital Download Center found under the "Find an Item" tab on our homepage.

Digital content will be clearly identified as "Electronic Format" on the results page.

Another new feature is the "Buy It Now" button. This allows you to purchase titles if you so desire - a portion of the sale will go to benefit our library system. Something to think about if you have to read (or listen to or watch) it right now!

Changes in the website include a new "Recommended for You" feature that displays as soon as you sign in. Boolean searching has changed from "OR" to "AND". That means your search results will become more relevant since all the keywords you type in must appear in the resulting list of titles. Minor bug fixes have been added, too.

FYI - we've refreshed the content of our eReaders. Check one out soon and you'll find dozens of bestsellers and classics pre-loaded without the hassle of downloading. Is there travel in your near future? Are you stressed out about what book to take with you and want to avoid the dreaded baggage check-in? Stuff one of these little beauties in your carry-on! These Nooks are the perfect way to carry an entire library along with you. Don't take the risk of dragging along a hardcopy bestseller that might turn out to be a dud - give yourself options so you aren't left empty-handed and take some of the stress out of traveling!

Remember, if you currently have a Nook checked out, refresh the Library content when you are connected to the internet. Enjoy!

We've just added more bestselling titles to our eReaders. So if you find yourself waiting and waiting for a new release, why not take one of our Nooks out for a spin? On them you'll find The Fault in Our Stars, Little Failure, One More Thing, and more. With over 80 titles on each Nook, you're sure to find something to suit your taste. (And if you currently have one checked out, be sure to click on the refresh button in the Library view while you are connected to the internet so that you can see the new additions). Please do us a favor and fill out the survey at the address listed on the inside of the cover of the Nook when you check it out. We want your feedback!

If you've been to the library recently, you will have noticed that we've moved things around quite a bit. We've begun the process of preparing for a renovation that is being partially subsidized by a construction grant from the New York State Department of Library Development. The very first step involved moving collections to new locations both temporary and permanent. We could not have accomplished this Herculean task without the help of volunteers who braved both dust and the Dewey Decimal System. And so a very big thank you to: Eve, Danielle, Vanessa, Taylor, Stan, Jenna, Jacob, Amal, Grace, Tara, Christopher, Thomas, Abigail, Naomi, Daniel, Laura, and Alexandra. We truly could not have done this without you!

Following are the new locations of those collections affected:

Large Print Books have simply shifted back towards the Rockland Room. This is their permanent location.

International Language Books and Periodicals are temporarily located in a standalone bookstack right under the red exit sign in the middle of the main level.

We've freshened up the content of our adult eReaders with dozens of current titles from The New York Times Bestseller lists as well as some favorite classics. And now you can reserve them in our online catalog or at the reference desk. Take a look at the selection of fiction, nonfiction and classics. You're sure to find something to suit your reading tastes.

Our eReaders are perfect for travel, great for weekend read-a-thons brought on by wintry weather, and a godsend for those of us struggling with small print. Drop by the reference desk soon and check one out. Or go straight to the catalog and reserve one now. eReaders are available for New City and West Nyack patrons. See the entire lending policy here.

I have often lamented that we cannot close our ears with as much ease as we can our eyes. ~ Sir Richard Steele, Irish politician and author, 1672-1729.

The Pew Research Center recently conducted a survey of library services for their Internet and American Life Project. One question asked of a sampling of Americans was, "What services and programs do you find very important for libraries to offer?" When we examine the answers, we find that the New City Library scores pretty well with fulfilling these wishes. Librarians? Check! Books? Check! Free access to computers and the internet? Check!

The Summer 2013 newsletter is out! Hard copies are available at the library, and you can also access it online here. We're using a different email manager to distribute the newsletter now, so if you have not received yours, please be sure to sign up for future mailings. As always, any questions, please call the reference desk at x125 or x126.